Scores of residents of Wachi, Shopian staged a protest at Press Colony here against “delay” in establishing a degree college that they said has already been sanctioned for the area.

They accused the authorities concerned of creating unnecessary hurdles in establishing the college.

The residents said that despite the availability of state land at Wachi, the authorities are “trying to sabotage the project”.

“Early last year, the officials of the higher education department visited our village and identified the land to set up the college”, the residents said.

“The ex MLA of the area for some personal reason is compelling the authorities to change the proposed site to other village,” alleged Manzoor Ahmad, member of Wachi Awkaf committee.

He alleged that ex MLA “is continuously recommending other areas in order to keep Wachi from getting the degree college for which we struggled for years.”

He said that due to “vote bank politics” the establishment of the college was being delayed.

The residents said the district administration was unreasonably trying to recommend Zainapora and Babapora, which “have already been rejected by the higher education department due to unavailability of land in these villages.”

The protestors said that although other villages did not fulfil the requirements for setting up of the college, “the district administration is unnecessarily dragging the issue and playing with the future of our kids”.